Work guide for overseaming machines



WORK GUIDE FOR OVERSEAMING MACHINES Filed May 11, 1927 U III/I/ /7 W n i ID. "i

. Z INVENTOR w? BY 7 Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES MAX xonnnn, or LIMBACH, GERMANY.

WORK GUIDE FOR )VERSEAMING MACHINES.

Application filed May 11, 1927. Serial No. 190,480.

The present invention relates to an improvement in fabric guide and presser mechanism for overseaming machines. Substantial growth in the demand for silk and other fine hose has made it necessary to develop and refine methods and machiner for manufacture thereof so that. the proc not can be sold at constantly receding prices. In making full fashioned hose, the knitting operation is supplemented by a seaming operation whereby the outer edges ofthe knitted fabric are joined together to form the tubular finished product. Unless this is done carefully and accurately the seam will make an unsightly ridge or extended lump which spoils theappearance of the stocking and reduces its value. This is commonly avoided by operating the overseaming machine at relatively low speed so that the operator may guide the work more carefully. An object of my invention has been to provide a guide and presser for overseaming machines by means of which the fabric may be rapidly and accurately guided to the bite of the feed cups in fiat condition and in accurate position to receive the seam loops through the outermost or marginal knitted loops of the fabric edge. This produces the desirable flatness of seam required in goods of this character particularly in the higher grades.

In guide and presser members heretofore in common use, it frequently happens that the curl or roll of the fabric edge is not flattened out as the fabric engages the seaming mechanism with the result that the seam is made bulky by inclusion ofthree and sometimes four thicknesses of the fabric thread. This difficulty is overcome chiefly in my improved device-by shaping the socalled curl or flattening member of the guide and presser mechanism in such a way that any curl or bending over of the upper edge of the fabric-as it moves between the members of the fabric guide will necessarily be flattened out and the fabric will thereafter pass in fiat relation toward the stitch forming mechanism.

Figure 4., a section on-the -line 4 -4 of Figure 1. The drawings indicate a work guide which in many respects is of well known form including, for example, a central support 1 secured in operative position by any suitable means such as a bracket, not shown. A pair of cooperating pressers 2 and 3 are piw ota-lly mounted between brackets 4 and 5,

their flattening or lower end portions being normally pressed toward a central plate 6 by means of springs 7 and 8 respectively interposed between upper portions of the pressers 2 and 3 and the shank of the support 1. A threaded rod 9 is mounted transversely in said support with its ends extending through the pressers 2 and 3, said ends being provided with thumb screws 10 and 11 respectively whereby the limit of movement outwardly of the upper ends of said pressers 2 and 3 may be predetermined. A guide pin 12 is mounted to extend laterally from both sides of the plate 6 and through recesses in the lower 'or flattening portions of the pressers 2 and 3 respectively. The structure thus far described is incorporated in well known forms of overseaming machines. a

To produce the improved results contemplated in connection with the use of my invention, I have provided novel features in r the flattening or fabric engaging portions of the pressers 2 and 3 whereby the upper edge of said-fabric may be rapidly and accurately delivered in operative flat position to the seam forming mechanism. Referring to Figure 1, one side of presser 2 has a rearwardly extending bevel terminating in an irregular fabric encountering and guiding edge of which one portion 13 is positioned above the level of the fabric guiding lowermost edge of pin 12, and another portion 14 below said level. These portions of the bev- 'el are separated by a shoulder 15 which presents an edge 16 lying in a plane at right angles to the plane of said edges of the bevel portions 13 .and 14: and substantially in the plane of the lowermost or fabric guiding edge of the pin 12. As indicated more clearly in Figure 2, the flattening portion of presser 2 is undercut rearwardly at 17 to aiford an easy and gradual approach for; the fabric as it is drawn into" flattening position between said presser and the plate 6 by the forward or feeding operation offeed cups 18 and 19. The foregoing description of presser 52 applies also to presser 3, inasmuch as both members are alike in respect to the features described and cooperate with the plate 6 to produce the desired guiding and flattening of a fabric such as 20, the upper edge of which usually presents a curl or roll 21.

In operation, the cups 18 and 19 rotating in the direction of the arrows, Figure 3, advance the upper edge of the fabric :20 across the path of stitch forming mechanism, not shown, but which is positioned and arranged so that the seaming loops will pass through the outermost or marginal knitted loops of the fabric 20. This is only possible where the curl 21 is flattened between the respective presser members and the plate (3 and the fabric delivered therefrom in flat condition. In the use of my improved mechanism, the upper portion of the fabric is positioned in the guide with its top edge engaging the lower or guiding edge of pin 12 and with the knitted stitches or loops in flattened relation between said presser and the plate 6. As the fabric thereafter advances, the edge of the curl or roll 21 first encounters the rear edge of the flattening portion of presser 2 by which the curl is somewhat extended or bent back toward normal flatness. The combined downward and forward movement tends to flatten additional portions of the curl as each increment thereof approaches the shoulder 15. At this point any remainingturnedover portion or bent-down portion of the upper edge of the fabric is presented at an angle to the beveled edge 13 so that at the next increment of movement said edge engages the underside of the remaining bentdown portion of the fabric which is thereby deflected upwardly as the fabricpasses behind the presser. The conformation of the flattening portion of the presser just described provides means for preventing any curled or bent-over portion of fabric from entering between the presser and the plate 6. In this respect, my improved apparatus differs in an important degree from previously knownforms of pressers which, while they flatten the upper edge of the fabric successfully in low speed operation, frequently fail at high speeds. One reason for faulty operation of some previously known pressers is that they have no means for presenting the curled-over edge of the fabric to the flattening edge of the presser at a proper angle to insure the fabric running between the presser and the plate in a single fold and in flat position.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fabric guide and presser for overseaming machines, comprisin a curl flattening member and a top edge fabric guide extending therethrough, said flattening member having a bevel provided with an irregular fabric encountering edge and a shoulder interrupting said bevel at an intermediate portion and presenting an edge in a plane at right angles to the plane of said irregular edge.

2. A fabric guide and presser for overseaming machines, comprising a curl flattening member and a top edge fabric guide extending therethrough, said flattening member having a bevel provided with an irregular fabric encountering edge and a shoulder interrupting .said bevel atan intermediate portion and prcsentin an edge in a plane at right angles to the plane of said irregular edge and substantially in the plane of the effective fabric edge positioning portion of the fabric guide.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 21 day of April, 1927.

MAX KOHLER. 

